Bottle crate



BOTTLE CRATE Filed Dec. 27, 1927 INVENTOR L m [1/ Wammkar Patented Nov.6, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYNN W. MACOMBEB, OI BATTLE GBEEK, MICHIGAH, ASSIGNOB TO UNITED STEEL ANWIRE C0., 01' BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN.

BOTTLE CRATE.

Application filed December 27, 1927. Serial No. 242 586.

The main object of this invention is to provide a bottle crate for thehandling of milk bottles and the like which facilitates the stacking ofa plurality of crates, is very strong and at the same time iscomparatively economical in structure.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of my invention willdefinitely appear from the description to follow. The invention isdefined in the claims.

A structure which embodies the features of my. improvements is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisapplication, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved bottle crate.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of a pair of the cratessuperimposed one upon the other.

My improved crate as illustrated consists of a bottom frame member 1,top frame member 2 and intermediate frame members 3 and 4;. The bottomframe member is preferably substantially heavier than the top andintermediate frame members and preferably the top frame member is of agage exceeding that of the intermediate frame members. These framemembers are continuous, that is, they are formed of heavy wire or rodsbent to shape with the ends butt-welded together, and preferably haverounded corners as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The intermediate frame member 3 is spaced centrally between the top andbottom frame members while the intermediate frame member 4 is adjacentto but spaced from the bottom frame member 1.

The vertical slats 5 and 6 are arranged on the inner sides of the top,bottom and intermediate members and welded thereto. The slats 6 are thecentral end slats and have offsets 7 in their upper ends, see Fig. 3,providing end openings below the top frame member, the portions 8 ofwhich between these offset ends 7 constitute hand-holds. Thehorizontalframe members are further connected by the loop orhairpin-shaped corner' members 9 which are formed of pieces so of wirebent upon themselves into loop form with downwardly diverging arms.These corner members are arranged with their bights 10 projecting abovethe top frame member 2 and their arms disposed on the 66 inside of andsecured to the adjacent side and end portions of the frame members bywelding thereto. This not only provides relnforcing corner members butthe projecting portions 10 constitute lugs adapted to engage wlthin thecorners of the bottom frame of a superimposed crate as shown in Fig. 3,thereby retaining the crates in alinement when they are stacked one uponanother.

I provide a plurality of transverse and longitudinal partition members11 and 12, the transverse partition members being arranged in verticallyalined pairs and secured at their ends to the side portions of theintermediate frame members 3 and 4. The longitudinal partition members12 are arranged in vertically alined pairs and secured at their ends tothe end portions of these intermediate frame members, the artitionmembers 11 and 12 being secure to each other at their crossing points.

Transverse bottom members 13 are arranged in vertical alinement with thepartition members 11 and secured to the upper sides of the side portionsof the bottom frame member while the longitudinal bottom members 1 1 arearranged in spaced pairs below the compartments formed by the partitionmembers providing bottoms therefor.

These longitudinal bottom members have downwardly otl'set ends ,15walled to the upper sides of the end portions of the bottom frame memberso that the main portions of the longitudinal bottom members are in ahorizontal plane, although they are disposed above and welded to thetransverse bottom members at the point of crossing. 3 To prevent saggingof the partition members when under load I preferably provide a pair ofspaced vertical struts 15 which are welded to the sides of the centralbot-tom member 13 and central transverse partition member 11.

My improved crate is very strong and rigid and while adapted for heavyloads 100 such, for instance, as bottles of milk, the crate illustratedhaving a capacity of twelve quarts, the crate may be kept in a sanitarycondition and bottles are fully exposed for chilling.- A plurality ofcrates may be 105 stacked one upon the other without danger of thesuperimposed crates slipping off.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bottle crate comprising top and bottom and intermediate continuousframe members having rounded corners, one of said intermediate framemembers being dis osed centrally between the top and bottom rame membersand the other adjacent to but spaced from the bottom frame member,upright side and end slats welded to the inner sides of said framemembers, corner members formed of loops of wire having downwardlydiverging arms disposed at the corners of the crates with their bightsprojecting above the top frame member and with their arms welded to theinner sides of the adjacent side and end portions of the frame members,longitudinal and transverse partition members disposed horizontally invertic-ally alined spaced crossed relation and welded to each other andto said intermediate frame members providing a series of compartments,transverse bottom members welded at their ends to 'the upper side ofsaid bottom frame member, and longitudinal bottom members disposed inspaced pairs below said compartments and welded to said transversebottom members, said longitudinal bottom members having downwardlyoffset ends welded to the end portions of said bot-tom frame member.

2. A bottle crate comprising top and bottom intermediate continuousframe members having rounded corners, one of said intermediate framemembers being disposed centrally between the top and bottom framemembers and the other adjacent to but spaced from the bottom framemember, upright side and end slats welded to the inner sides of saidframe members, corner members formed of loops of wire havin downwardlydiverging arms disposed at t e corners of the crates with their bightspro'ecting above the top frame member and wit their arms welded to theinner sides of the adjacent side and end portions longitudinal andtransverse partition members disposed horizontally in vertically alinedspaced crossed relation and welded to each other and to saidintermediate frame members providing a series of compartments,transverse bottom members welded at their ends to the upper side of saidbottom frame member, and longitudinal bottom members disposed below saidcompartments and welded to said transverse bottom members and welded tothe end portions of said bottom frame member.

3. A bottle crate comprising top and bottom and intermediate continuousframe members having rounded corners, one of said intermediate framemembers being disposed centrally between the top and bottom framemembers and the other adjacent to but spaced from the bottom framemember, upright side and end slats welded to the inner sides of saidframe members, the upper of the frame members,

ends of the central pair of end slats being outwardly ofi'set providinga hand opening below the top frame member permittin the grasping thereofat opposite ends 0 the crate, corner members formed of loops of wirehaving downwardly diverging arms disposed at the corners of the crateswith their bights projecting above the top frame member and with theirarms welded to the inner sides of the adjacent side and end portions ofthe frame members, longitudinal and transverse partition membersdisposed horizontally in vertically alined spaced crossed relation andwelded to each other and to said intermediate frame members providing aseries of compartments, transverse bottom members welded at their endsto the upper side of said bottom frame member,'and longit-udinal bottommembers disposed below said compartments and welded to said transversebottom members and welded to the end portions of said bottom framemember.

4. A bottle crate com rising top and bottom and intermediate ii'amemembers, up right side and end slats welded to the inner si es of saidframe members, corner members formed of loops of wire having downwardlydiverging arms disposed at the corners of the crates with their bightsprojecting above the top frame member and with their arms welded to theinner sides of the adjacent side and end portions ofgthe frame members,longitudinal and transverse partition members disposed horizontally invertically alined spaced cross relation and welded to said intermediateframe members providing a series of compartments, transverse bottommembers disposed in vertical alinement with the transverse artitionmembers and welded at their end to the upper side of said bottom framemember, longitudinal bottom members disposed in spaced pairs below saidcompartments and welded to said transverse bottom members, saidlongitudinal bottom members havin downwardly ofl'set ends welded to theen portions of said bottom frame member, and spaced upright strutmembers welded to the central transverse partition members and to thecentral transverse bottom member. 5. A bottle crate comprising top andbottom and intermediate continuous frame members, upright side and endslats welded to the inner sides of said frame members, corner membersformed of loops of wire having downwardly diverging arms disposed at thecorners of the crates with their ights rojecting above the top framemember an with their arms welded to the inner sides of the adjacent sideand end portions of the frame members, lon 'tudinal and transversepartition members osed horizontally in vertically alined aced crossrelation and welded to said intermediate frame members providing aseries of compartments, transverse bottom members welded at their endsto the upper side I of said bottom frame member, longitudinal bottommembers dis osed below said oompartments and wel ed to said transversebottom members and to the end portions of said bottom frame member, andspaced upright strut members welded to the central transverse partitionmembers and to the central transverse bottom member.

6. A bottle crate comprising top and bottom and intermediate continuousframe members, upright side and end slats welded to the inner sides ofsaid frame members, corner members formed of loops of wire havingdownwardly diverging arms disosed at the corners of the crates withtheir ights projecting above the top frame member and with their armswelded to the inner sides of the adjacent side and end portions of theframe members, longitudinal and transverse partition members disposedhorizontally in vertically alined spaced cross relation and Welded tosaid intermediate frame members providing a series of compartments,transverse bottom members disposed in vertical alinement with thetransverse partition members and welded at their ends to the upper sideof said bottom frame member, and longitudinal bottom members disposed inspaced pairs below said comartments and welded to said transverse ottommembers, said longitudinal bottom members having downwardly ofi'set endswelded to the end portions of said bottom frame member.

7. A bottle crate comprising top and bottom and intermediate continuousframe members, upri ht side and end slats welded to the inner sides ofsaid frame members, corner members formed of loops of wire havingdownwardly diverging arms disposed at the corners of the crates withtheir bights projecting above the top frame member and with their armswelded to the inner sides of the adjacent side and end portions of theframe members, longitudinal and transverse partition members disposedhorizontally in vertically alined spaced cross relation and welded tosaid intermediate frame members providing a series of compartments,transverse bottom members Welded at their ends to the upper side of saidbottom frame member, and longitudinal bottom members dis posed belowsaid compartments and welded to said transverse bottom members and tothe end portions of said bottom frame member.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LYNN W. MACOMBER.

